When you walk through the front doors of Community First Solutions, past the historic exterior of the Resource Center’s downtown building, the first thing you notice is color: purple, green, and teal characterize the logo of Community First Solutions and the design of the high-ceiling space. The bright lobby is only a clue to the optimism, enthusiasm, and practicality that drive many of the solutions that Community First provides.
For those who don’t know, Community First offers behavioral health services, senior living, and community based services throughout Butler County, with their Resource Center located centrally in Hamilton. With more than 10 locations in Butler County, Community First has grown so substantially as an umbrella non-profit that it became clear that a new corporate office with more space was needed.
The process of finding and renovating a new building characterized a broader commitment championed by Community Firsts’ Board of Directors, and Jeff Thurman, President & CEO of Community First Solutions. As the name says, the organization looks beyond what is immediately beneficial, with hopes to impact the wider community, knowing that investing in Hamilton will also benefit employees and clients throughout the organization.
The process of turning the Ringel’s Furniture building into a new Resource Center began with the relationship building that characterizes the company’s participation in the community.
“The Ringel’s family was familiar with our mission and generously gifted the building” said Danielle Webb, Vice President of Marketing. Our board really felt strongly about making an investment in downtown Hamilton, and we wanted to make a bold statement about the revitalization of Hamilton’s downtown business district.”
Between positive feasibility studies, a supportive board, and the chance to offer centralized services in a location that was more accessible across Butler County, Community First chose to begin the process of moving. Webb got a chance to see the building before it became the current version of Community First.
When I walked through, it was dark with boarded windows, and the elevator was non-functional,” Webb said. “It was cool that the interiors were all open from being a furniture store, and some of the light fixtures and wallpaper were still there. It was amazing to think about what could be here.
When renovations were complete, the exterior of the building was preserved with only new windows, but the interior was almost entirely new. One fun exception was the elevator: other than being re-cased, it is still the original Ringel’s elevator.
The building was specifically meant to offer a valuable hub for the many services under the Community First umbrella.
“We have a shared services model, so the services that work out of this building support the operations across the many subsidiaries,” Webb explained. “IT, HR, marketing, accounting and administration are centralized. We have a critical need for employees and are constantly hiring, and we need to do a lot of training, so we built a 60-person training facility, equipped with technology and a catering kitchen.”
When employees aren’t being trained in the state-of-the-art learning center, they can also be found working out at the fitness center or taking lunch in the recreation area known as the “Downtown Cafe.”
“We wanted employees to understand our company values and to be excited about our mission visually,” Webb said. “We want them to have pride in being part of the organization.”
Community First also encouraged employees, as they settled into their new offices and routines, to get to know the up-and-coming downtown area. In the fall of 2015, many of the restaurants and shops that are Hamilton mainstays now were just getting started.
Even as Community First Solutions celebrates their 100th anniversary this year, they aim to continue connecting people to services in the future, and they see the bright mural in their lobby as a symbol.
“We created a wall with a picture of the river, and we like the bridge because we like to connect people to services,” Webb said. “The need is great and there are so many people working more and more cohesively to meet those needs – our mission is to be a resource for the community through collaborative partnerships.”